I first joined CPSA as a communications intern in June 2021. It was a period of chaos and confusion as my learning was still online and there were still commuting restrictions in the city, so everything was pretty much online-based. I was so lost, not knowing which career path to opt for. I only knew I had a profound interest in sustainability and I have always been that person who wouldn’t stay still. I made up my mind to explore internship and that led me to encounter the announcement of the opportunity at a foreign NGO, Cambodia Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (CPSA). My professor once told me and the class that “Your first job will have an immense impact on your career pathway. “You may not find what you like on the first try, but you can also rule out what you do not like with that. So make the most of the process and enjoy it to the fullest.”
I never once felt eligible enough to pull all of my courage to apply for the position because I thought it was hard. So I applied for the post and was blessed enough to get selected and join the team after a few processes. My assignment was under the supervision of the Communications and Partnership Manager. With my little background and experience in the field, it was a nerve-racking moment as I have always been a self-doubting individual.
My first month joining CPSA was an eye-opening period. Everything was just new and it taught me a lot about the importance of attention to details as a part of the communications team. It is crucial to develop clear and precise tools of communication to convey the right message to the right target audiences in a professional manner. I also learnt the fundamental elements of creative writing and visual design as well. Moreover, I need to get myself exposed to more reading and writing in order to obtain a better understanding of the sustainable agriculture sector and the values of working together through partnership to achieve common goals. I learnt from a senior that it is a good habit to record every new thing I learn to evaluate and monitor what I am doing, and I am happy to share that the list was long enough for me to go back to and smile while reading.
Since I was in my junior year at my university, having an extra source of financial support was an important factor during my internship. CPSA just challenged the norm of the unpaid internship that many students are facing by offering a suitable stipend and a flexible working schedule with a result-oriented atmosphere. I am impressed by the respectful and gratitude culture at CPSA as well. As the youngest member of the team with a big age gap, I happened to feel inferior and not expressive of my opinions as I was afraid of the judgements and the feelings of not being good enough always stayed in my mind. Little did I know that I could overcome them with a single “thank you for your hard work” or “good job” . It was indeed meaningful after each task I completed, because as a young person in a professional working environment, affirmation and recognition were the motivations that kicked out the imposter syndrome that lived deep inside me. In each meeting, I also got to express my opinions and contribute my input. On this aspect, I want to encourage anyone who’s reading, especially young people, to view the cross-generation working environment as an opportunity to talk to and learn from people who have been there, done that before you. Every lunchtime was my chance to converse with my supervisors and colleagues on their experiences and knowledge. That always made me feel like there was a blinking light bulb in my head.
One thing I had to always explain when I tell others I am working in an NGO working in the agricultural field would be the conventional stereotype that “agriculture” is only about traditional farming with labor intensity and little income. Instead of making any assertion that this aforementioned statement is right or wrong, I would just bring up facts to draw the attention to another side of the perspectives into this discussion. Agriculture plays an important role as this sector accounted for 22.8% of Cambodia’s GDP in 2020. Sustainable and Smart Agriculture was introduced in Cambodia in order to modernize the agricultural sector so that it can become more competitive, environmentally resilient, and sustainable, thereby increasing household incomes, prosperity, and long-term well-being for Cambodians. On top of that, young tech-savvy people will be the main factors to accelerate this transition. For instance, Smart Farming a technology-driven tool to help farmers with the automatic watering system that enhance the productivity of many farmers. CPSA also invested the effort to promote youth’s role in sustainable agriculture with the” Enterprise Agriculture Cooperative Incubation Program (EACIP)” .We got 20 passionate youths on board and provided the trainings on skills and knowledge surrounding sustainable agriculture, business development and access to markets for smallholder farmers. After that, those selected youths are dispatched to different Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs) to support the local farmers, developing a more sustainable business plans. This model is a reciprocal model that connects supply (trained youths) to the demand (ACs).
My 6 months as an intern at CPSA went by in the blink of an eye, I got to join the team on a full-time basis as a project assistant, which is another milestone in my career path, and little did I expect that. With greater job scope comes greater responsibility. I was able to embark on my journey at my own pace with support ready whenever I needed it. This is a turning point in my career that I will be forever grateful for. I made new friends, self-development and many memories that words would never do their jobs well enough to properly express.
Lastly, I want to add this with the note that experience is an important asset in your life because it enhances your abilities, skills, and knowledge as you progress toward your goals. Even if you have a lot of knowledge, practical experience is always important, and knowledge cannot be strengthened in the absence of practical experience.
Blog post by:
Chansomanita Meung
Project Assistant, CPSA